What's New - RFF Press Books

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2009 Publications

		Negotiating Environment and Science Richard J. Smith October 2009 In this thought-provoking new book, career U.S. State Department negotiator Richard J. Smith offers readers unprecedented access to the details about some of the most complex and politically charged international agreements of the post Cold War era. During his nine years as Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary in the Bureau of Oceans and International Environmental and Scientific Affairs, Smith led U.S. negotiations on many significant international agreements.

		Reforming Regulatory Impact Analysis Winston Harrington, Lisa Heinzerling, and Richard D. Morgenstern, editors July 2009 Reforming Regulatory Impact Analysis brings together experts representing both sides of the debate to analyze the use of Cost-Benefit Analysis (CBA) in three key case studies: the Clean Air Interstate Rule, the Clean Air Mercury Rule, and the Cooling Water Intake Structure Rule (Phase II). Each case study is accompanied by critiques from both an opponent and a proponent of CBA and includes consideration of complementary analyses which could have been employed.

		Water Policy in the Netherlands: Integrated Management in a Densely Populated Delta Stijn Reinhard and Henk Folmer, editors June 2009 Water Policy in the Netherlands offers a compelling study of pitfalls and successes within one of the world’s most challenging regions for water governance. Bringing together contributions from across the technical and social sciences, the book advances the tool of integrated water management for approaching serious environmental challenges including climate change, sea level rise, and increasing soil subsidence.

2008 Publications

		Taming the Anarchy Groundwater Governance in South Asia Tushaar Shah December 2008 Investigates the forces behind the transformation of South Asian irrigation and considers its social, economic, and ecological impacts. Shah argues that, without effective governance, the resulting groundwater stress threatens the sustenance of the agrarian system and therefore the well being of the nearly one and a half billion people who live in South Asia.

		The Emergence of Land Markets in Africa: Impacts on Poverty, Equity, and Efficiency Stein T. Holden, Keijiro Ostuka, and Frank M. Place, editors December 2008 This book is the first systematic attempt to address emerging land markets and their implications for poverty, equity, and efficiency across a number of African countries.

		Perspectives on Sustainable Resources in America Roger A. Sedjo, Editor August 2008 A follow-up to RFF's popular America's Renewable Resources (1990), Perspectives on Sustainable Resources in America updates readers about the current challenges involved in managing America's natural resources, especially in light of the increasing emphasis on sustainability and ecosystem approaches to management.

		Forest Community Connections: Implications for Research, Management, and Governance Ellen M. Donoghue, Victoria E. Sturtevant, Editors August 2008 Forest Community Connections explores the responses of forest communities to a changing economy, changing federal policy, and concerns about forest health from both within and outside forest communities.

		Choosing Safety A Guide to Using Probabilistic Risk Assessment and Decision Analysis in Complex, High Consequence Systems Michael V. Frank August 2008 This is the first book to bring together probabilistic risk assessment and decision analysis using real case studies from engineering in the technological age. Choosing Safety is for managers, project leaders, engineers, and scientists who create, design, develop, operate, or maintain high consequence, complex systems and products.

		Frontiers in Resource and Rural Economics: Human- Nature, Rural- Urban Interdependencies JunJie Wu, Paul W. Barkley and Bruce A. Weber, Editors February 2008 One of the first books to approach resource economics and rural studies as fundamentally interconnected areas of study, Frontiers in Resource and Rural Economics integrates the work of 18 leading scholars in resource economics, rural economics, rural sociology and political science in order to focus on two complex interdependencies - one pertaining to natural resources and human welfare, the other to urban and rural communities and their economies.

		Water Policy in Australia: The Impact of Change and Uncertainty Lin Crase, Editor February 2008 Few policy areas in recent history have the attention of the Australian public and polity as much as those relating to water. Water Policy in Australia considers the current policy reform agenda from agricultural, environmental, and cultural perspectives. It presents a comprehensive account of the country's critical water issues and provides expert perspectives from behavioral and institutional economists, engineers, hydrologists, sociologists, and water law specialists.

2007 Publications

		Wildfire Risk: Human Perceptions and Management Implications Wade E. Martin, Carol Raish, and Brian Kent, Editors Wildfire Risk follows from an increasing awareness among fire experts that relying on fire behavior models from the physical sciences to design a risk management program is no longer sufficient - and that simply increasing public knowledge related to wildfire hazard does not necessarily lead to appropriate risk reduction behaviors. Public land managers, property developers, landowners, and politicians must ask more about the social and psychological factors that motivate people to respond appropriately to risk.

		The Softwood Lumber War Politics, Economics, and the Long U.S.-Canadian Trade Dispute by Daowei Zhang An unprecedentedly detailed evaluation of how the softwood lumber dispute between the U.S. and Canada began and how it was sustained for nearly 20 years. The book considers the implications that may follow from the 2006 agreement between nations, and the broader lessons that might be learned about international trade conflicts.

		From the Corn Belt to the Gulf Societal and Environmental Implications of Alternative Agricultural Futures Joan Iverson Nassauer, Mary V. Santelmann, and Donald Scavia, Editors Examines how new agricultural policy can help alleviate the "Dead Zone" in the Gulf of Mexico, and at the same time improve water quality overall, enhance biodiversity, improve the quality of life for the people who live and work in Corn belt communities, and relieve downstream flooding.

		Wye Island Insiders, Outsiders, and Change in a Chesapeake Community (Special Reprint Edition) Boyd Gibbons "Wye Island is primarily about people: clammers, crabbers, business executives, storekeepers, land speculators....Gibbons succeeds in portraying the fear shared by the local citizens - and by implication, most Americans - of change" -Smithsonian

		The Challenge of Rural Electrification Strategies for Developing Countries Douglas F. Barnes, Editor The Challenge of Rural Electrification is an essential guide that can help improve the quality of life to the estimated 1.3 billion rural people in the world who are without electricity. Douglas Barnes and his team of development experts present lessons from successful programs in Bangladesh, Chile, China, Costa Rica, Mexico, the Philippines, Thailand, and Tunisia, as well as Ireland and the United States.

		Negotiated Learning Collaborative Monitoring in Forest Resource Management Irene Guijt, Editor The first book to critically examine how monitoring can be an effective tool in participatory resource management, Negotiated Learning draws on the first-hand experiences of researchers and development professionals in eleven countries in Africa, Asia, and South America.

		Liquid City Megalopolis and the Contemporary Northeast John Rennie Short "A timely and valuable work for those interested in the origin and evolution of the Northeast's megalopolis. The engaging style will be appreciated by audiences in academics and beyond - including policy makers, planners and the general public." -Robert Lang, Metropolitan Institute at Virginia Tech

		Voices from the Forest Integrating Indigenous Knowledge into Sustainable Farming Malcolm Cairns, editor Unprecedented in ambition and scope, this handbook of successful agricultural strategies of upland farmers in the Asia-Pacific region brings together the best of science and farmer experimentation, vividly illustrating the enormous diversity of shifting cultivation systems as well as the power of human ingenuity.

		Extending The Cure Policy Responses to the Growing Threat of Antibiotic Resistance Ramanan Laxminarayan and Anup Malani, with David Howard and David L. Smith This report, Extending the Cure: Policy Responses to the Growing Threat of Antibiotic Resistance, is a comprehensive study that explores incentive-based policies to protect antibiotic effectiveness, a valuable shared resource.

		Sustaining Rocky Mountain Landscapes Science, Policy, and Management for the Crown of the Continent Ecosystem Tony Prato and Dan Fagre, Editors Prato and Fagre offer the first systematic, multi-disciplinary assessment of the challenges involved in managing the Crown of the Continent Ecosystem (CCE), an area of the Rocky Mountains that includes northwestern Montana, southwestern Alberta, and southeastern British Columbia.

		Arizona Water Policy Management Innovations in an Urbanizing, Arid Region Edited by Bonnie G. Colby and Katharine L. Jacobs This book highlights new approaches that Arizona has pioneered for managing its water needs. The state has burgeoning urban areas, large agricultural regions, water-dependent habitats for endangered fish and wildlife, and a growing demand for water-based recreation. A multi-year drought and climate-related variability in water supply complicate the intense competition for water. Written by well-known Arizona water experts, the essays in the book address these issues from academic, professional, and policy perspectives that include economics, climatology, law, and engineering.

2006 Publications

		Reality Check The Nature and Performance of Voluntary Environmental Programs in the U.S., Europe, and Japan Edited by Richard D. Morgenstern and William A. Pizer This innovative book seeks to clarify what is known about the effectiveness of voluntary programs by looking at a range of program types, including the varied approaches adopted in different nations. By including in-depth analyses by experts from the U.S., Europe, and Japan, the book advances scholarship and provides practical information for the future design of voluntary programs to stakeholders and policymakers on all sides of the Atlantic and Pacific.

		Issues in Water Resource Policy Ariel Dinar, Series Editor

		Water Resources in Jordan Evolving Policies for Development, the Environment, and Conflict Resolution Munther J. Haddadin, Editor This is the first comprehensive, multi-disciplinary book to address water policy in Jordan. Edited by the former Minister of Water and Irrigation of Jordan, with contributions by other prominent Jordanian and international water professionals, this volume covers such areas as the population-water resources equation in Jordan; institutional and legal frameworks; the data systems used for the assessment and formulation of water policy; water allocations and uses in municipal, industrial, and agricultural sectors; social and environmental issues; and water conflict with Jordan's neighbors.

		Leveraging the Private Sector Management-Based Strategies for Improving Environmental Performance Cary Coglianese and Jennifer Nash, editors This is the first sustained analysis of public and private sector initiatives designed to encourage firms and industries to use their own management expertise to improve their environmental performance. The authors bring together original empirical studies by the nation’s leading experts on recent public and private sector experiments. Do management-based strategies lead to improved environmental outcomes? What kinds of strategies hold the most promise? The authors address these questions through studies of state pollution prevention planning laws, private sector purchasing requirements, and federal risk management regulations, among others.

		The Politics and Economics of Indonesia's Natural Resources Budy P. Resosudarmo In this book, a team of policy experts review political and economic developments in post-Soeharto era Indonesia and consider the kinds of structures that would foster social, economic, and environmental sustainability.

		Economics and Contemporary Land Use Policy Development and Conservation at the Rural-Urban Fringe Robert J. Johnston and Stephen K. Swallow, editors This is a timely and relevant contribution to the land-use policy debate and will prove an essential reference for policy- makers at all the local, state, and federal levels. It will also be of interest to students, academics, and anyone with an interest in the practical application of economics to land-use issues.

		Environmental Life Cycle Assessment of Goods and Services An Input-Ouput Approach Chris T. Hendrickson, Lester B. Lave, and H. Scott Matthews This is the first comprehensive guide to green design using economic input-output life cycle assessment (EIO-LCA) models. It is a must have for companies seeking to improve the environmental profile of their products and processes, regulators attempting to quantify life cycle implications of products and service, and students and scholars of green design.

		Emissions Trading Principles and Practice, 2nd Edition Thomas H. Tietenberg The second edition of one of the most widely cited works in the tradable permits literature, Emissions Trading offers a comprehensive overview of what we have learned about this important environmental policy instrument after twenty-five years of theory, practice, and research.

		Small Firms and the Environment in Developing Countries Collective Impacts, Collective Action Allen Blackman, editor "After years of mounting concern and confusion, this book blazes a trail for the design and implementation of efficient, effective, equitable environmental management policies for small firms in developing countries." - Eduardo Uribe, Universidad de los Andes, Colombia

		Zoned Out Regulation, Markets, and Choices in Transportation and Metropolitan Land Use Jonathan Levine "A long overdue correction to the notion that alternatives to sprawl are anti-market. Levine demonstrates that the opposite is true: sprawl is mandated by public policy and frustrates an increasingly diverse market."--Peter Calthorpe, Calthorpe Associates

2005 Publications

		Assessments of Regional and Global Environmental Risks Designing Processes for the Effective Use of Science in Decisionmaking Alexander E. Farrell and Jill Jager, editors "Establishes a useful framework for judging experiences in the design and use of past assessments and presents those evaluations as a guide for future assessments." --David H. Moreau, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

		The Forest Ranger A Study in Administrative Behavior Herbert Kaufman In print for nearly fifty years and widely considered a classic, The Forest Ranger has been essential reading for generations of professionals and scholars in forestry, public administration, and organizational behavior. With two new forewords and an afterword by the author, this classic reprint is as relevant and timely today as when it was first published in 1960.

		The RFF Reader in Environmental and Resource Policy, 2nd edition Wallace E. Oates, editor The second edition of the popular RFF Reader brings together much of the best work published by researchers at RFF in an accessible, nontechnical, authoritative introduction to key issues in environmental and natural resources policy.

		Adaptive Governance and Water Conflict New Institutions for Collaborative Planning John T. Scholz and Bruce Stiftel, editors "An important and substantive contribution on environmental governance and water policy by a first-rate group of authors."--William Blomquist, Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis

		The Complex Forest Communities, Uncertainty, and Adaptive Collaborative Management Carol J. Pierce Colfer The Complex Forest systematically examines the theory, processes, and early outcomes of a research and management approach called adaptive collaborative management (ACM).

		Liquid Assets An Economic Approach for Water Management and Conflict Resolution in the Middle East and Beyond Franklin M. Fisher et al "An important and substantive contribution on environmental governance and water policy by a first-rate group of authors. The case studies address a broad range of issues including water supply, water quality, and ecosystem management. That the cases are set in a region known among water resource professionals for the growing intensity of its water conflicts adds to the book's appeal." -William Blomquist, Indiana University - Purdue University Indianapolis

		Scarcity and Growth Revisited Natural Resources and the Environment in the New Millennium R. David Simpson, Michael A. Toman, and Robert U. Ayres, editors Experts from diverse disciplines investigate the implications of resource scarcity on economic growth, human well-being, and environmental sustainability. The authors review current assessments of resource availability and consumption and consider the ability of technological innovation to ameliorate scarcity challenges.

		The Urban Household Energy Transition Social and Environmental Impacts in the Developing World Doublas F. Barnes, Kerry Krutilla, and William F. Hyde In the first worldwide assessment, this data-rich book looks at geographic, biological, and socioeconomic indicators to outline the problems and policy options associated with each stage in the energy transition.

		Managing Natural Wealth Environment and Development in Malaysia Jeffrey R. Vincent and Rozali Mohamed Ali The remarkably rich natural environment of Malaysia attracts the interest of both industry and the environmental community. This book analyzes major natural resource and environmental policy issues in the country during the 1970s and 1980s—a period of profound socioeconomic change, rapid depletion of natural resources, and the emergence of serious problems with pollution. A review of key developments since the 1990s by S. Robert Aiken and Colin H. Leigh considers what has happened since and assesses the implications for Malaysia’s future.

		Environmental Protection and the Social Responsibility of Firms Perspectives from Law, Economics, and Business Bruce L. Hay, Robert N. Stavins, and Richard H. K. Vietor, editors In this groundbreaking work, some of the nation's leading scholars in law, economics, and business examine commonly accepted assumptions at the heart of current debates on corporate social responsibility and provide a foundation for future research and policymaking.

		Toward Safer Food Perspectives on Risk and Priority Setting Sandra Hoffmann and Michael R. Taylor, editors This book brings together leading scientists, risk analysts, and economists, as well as experienced regulators and policy analysts, to better define the priorities and to focus on the scientific and intellectual resources available to construct a risk analysis framework for improving food safety. Multi-disciplinary in scope, it provides a solid introduction to the existing data, research, and methodological approaches on which a system-wide risk analysis framework must draw.

		National Environmental Accounting Bridging the Gap between Ecology and Economy Joy Hecht A non-technical introduction to an increasingly important field, this book is a must-read for anyone interested in how environmental accounts can help society move towards greater sustainability. The author begins with a history and introduction to national income, or "green," accounting as it has developed in Europe and other parts of the world. She then introduces the most recent methods developed through the United Nations Statistical Department and other international organizations.

		Determining the Economic Value of Water Concepts and Methods Robert A. Young To aid in cost-benefit analysis under conditions where appropriate price incentives are absent, economists have developed a range of alternative, or "non-market," methods for measuring economic benefits. The most comprehensive exposition to-date of the application of such methods to water resource investments and policies, this book provides a conceptual framework for valuation of both commodity and public good uses of water.

		New Approaches on Energy and the Environment Policy Advice for the President Richard D. Morgenstern and Paul R. Portney, editors When the President takes office in January, 2005, he will confront competing perspectives about the priorities and approaches that should apply to energy and environmental policy: Americans want cleaner air and water and healthy and attractive surroundings, but they also want inexpensive fuel, comfortable cars and houses, and continued economic growth. New Approaches on Energy and the Environment provides thought-provoking, commonsense contributions to debates about important energy and environmental issues confronting the U.S. today.

2004 Publications

		The Equitable Forest: Diversity and Community in Sustainable Resource Management Carol J. Pierce Colfer, editor A copublication with the Center for International Forestry Research (CIFOR). The Equitable Forest provides a detailed explanation of the descriptive, analytical, and methodological tools of Adaptive Collaborative Management (ACM), along with accounts of early stages of its implementation in tropical regions of Asia, Africa, and Latin America. Although the contributors make it clear that it is too soon to evaluate the efficacy of ACM, their work is supported by evidence that rural communities do make important contributions when involved in formal forest management; that management strategies are most effective when flexible and tailored to local contexts; and that efforts by outside governmental and nongovernmental organizations to support local management are feasible from the policymaking perspective, and desirable for their impact on human, economic, and environmental well-being.

		Choosing Environmental Policy Comparing Instruments and Outcomes in the United States and Europe Winston Harrington, Richard D. Morgenstern, and Thomas Sterner, editors The two distinct approaches to environmental policy include direct regulation—sometimes called “command and control” policies—and regulation by economic, or market-based incentives. This book is the first to compare the costs and outcomes of these approaches by examining real-world applications. In a unique format, paired case studies from the United States and Europe contrast direct regulation on one side of the Atlantic with an incentive-based policy on the other.

		Collaborative Environmental Management What Roles for Government? Tomas M. Koontz, Toddi A. Steelman, JoAnn Carmin, Katrina Smith Korfmacher, Cassandra Moseley, and Craig W. Thomas Collaboration has become a popular approach to environmental management. Partnerships between the public, private, and nonprofit sectors can enhance public participation in policy-making and achieve potentially more integrated and effective environmental management strategies. In a series of case studies, this book analyzes how collaborative processes work and whether government can be an equal partner even as government agencies often formally control decision making and are held accountable for the outcomes.

		The Bioengineered Forest Challenges for Science and Society Steven H. Strauss and H.D. Bradshaw, editors "The Bioengineered Forest represents viewpoints from proponents, neutrals, and opponents of forest biotechnology giving the reader a clear idea of the various points of view . . . It will be useful to a variety of people interested in forest biotechnology including researchers, policy makers, activisits, managers, and some in the general public."-William A. Powell, SUNY, College of Environmental Science and Forestry

		Northern Landscapes The Struggle for Wilderness Alaska Daniel Nelson Alaska in the early 1950s was one of the world's last great, undeveloped areas. This book is a dramatic history of efforts to preserve Alaska's magnificent scenery and wildlife--efforts that culminated in the passage of the Alaska National Interest Lands Conservation Act (ANILCA) of 1980. Arguably the single greatest triumph of environmentalism, ANILCA set aside more than 100 million acres, doubling the size of the national park and wildlife refuge systems, and tripling the size of the wilderness preservation system. In this fascinating account, Nelson traces Alaska's environmental history and sets the stage for continuing battles over the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge and Alaska's national forests.

		Painting the White House Green Rationalizing Environmental Policy Inside the Executive Office of the President Randall Lutter and Jason F. Shogren, editors "For anyone interested in the interface between economics and environmental policy, this book is essential reading. Randall Lutter and Jason Shogren have brought together eight essays by former senior staff economists of the President's Council of Economic Advisers who reflect on their unique perspectives as key players at the heart of that important interface." -Robert N. Stavins, John F. Kennedy School of Government, Harvard University

		Siren Song Chilean Water Law as a Model for International Reform Carl J. Bauer The global water crisis has led many governments to look to Chilean water law as a model of the free-market approach and the most efficient and growth-oriented way to handle water resource management. But is the free-market vision of water as an economic good compatible with the broader, long-term goals of environmental sustainability and social equity? Is water a public or a private good? What are the strengths and weaknesses of the Chilean model, and what lessons can be drawn from it for a future in which water is increasingly scarce?

		Common Waters, Diverging Streams Linking Institutions and Water Management in Arizona, California, and Colorado William Blomquist, Edella Schlager, and Tanya Heikkila A firsthand investigation into water management in a fast-growing region of the arid American West, this is the first book to look at conjunctive water management policy. Interestingly, conjunctive management has followed a different history, been practiced differently, and produced different outcomes in each state. The authors question why different results have emerged from neighbors trying to solve similar problems with the same policy reform.

		True Warnings and False Alarms Evaluating Fears about Health Risks of Technology, 1948-1971 Allan Mazur Are manufactured chemicals in the environment distorting normal hormonal processes in our bodies? Are genetically modified foods a cause for concern? When new technologies generate concerns about health hazards, how do we know if those concerns are legitimate? As Allan Mazur demonstrates, history provides insights that can help us distinguish between "true warnings" and "false alarms."

		Pricing Irrigation Water Principles and Cases from Developing Countries Yacov Tsur, Terry Roe, Rachid Doukkali, and Ariel Dinar Focusing on the examples of China, Mexico, Morocco, South Africa, and Turkey, Pricing Irrigation Water provides a clear methodology for studying farm-level demand for irrigation water. This book is the first to link the macroeconomics of policies affecting trade to the microeconomics of water demand for irrigation and, in the case of Morocco, to link these forces to the creation of a water user-rights market. This type of market reform, the contributors argue, will result in growing economic benefits to both rural and urban households.

2003 Publications

		Private Rights in Public Resources Equity and Property Allocation in Market-Based Environmental Policy Leigh Raymond "Remarkably well written, it evinces a deep grasp of the legal and philosophical issues pertinent to the topic, and it offers a nice conceptual framework within which the discussion of property arrangements and public policy is grounded." --Daniel W. Bromley, University of Wisconsin, Madison

		China's Forests Global Lessons from Market Reform William F. Hyde, Brian Belcher, and Jintao Xu A copublication with the Center for International Forestry Research (CIFOR). The insights into how policies have affected forests in different regions in China are excellent." -- Robert Mendelsohn, Yale University "The strong reliance on empirical analysis and the use of recent data on forest output in China make the book extremely timely and of substantial interest." --David H. Newman, University of Georgia

		Science and Technology Advice for Congress M. Granger Morgan and Jon Peha, Editors "In political rhetoric Americans pretend that they and their officials are sufficiently informed to be omnicompetent. Since the Jacksonian era, this has been one of the agreed-upon fictions of democracy. But, like many hypocrisies, this fiction encourages unrealistic expectations and disillusionment." ?Richard D. Brown, University of Connecticut, as quoted in Science and Technology Advice for Congress

		Natural States The Environmental Imagination in Maine, Oregon, and the Nation Richard W. Judd and Christopher S. Beach "The most engaging piece I have read so far on the history of the environmental movement since World War II... The themes of public vs. private, multiple uses, and so on, are relevant to any American landscape, even those where you can't smell the sea." -Jan Albers, author of the award-winning Hands on the Land: A History of the Vermont Landscape